Washing apparatus



jam 3? 1924 1,479,661

c. c. GATES WASHING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 26, I922 4? F nlfl INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

emma Jan. 1, 1924.

' um'rso sures cmnzs 0. Games, or crane, KIOKIGAII.

WASHING arrnmrua I 1,479,661 PATENT OFFICE.

Application fled September 86, 1922. Serial No. 580,805. 7

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. Gyms, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clare, in the county of Clare and State of Michigan, have invented. certain new and useful .Improvements in Washing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a washing apparatus of the siphoning type, andis designed primarily for use in connection with the washing of photographic negatives or prints, but 'it is to be understood that the apparatus can be employed for any purposes wherein it is found applicable, and the invention has for its object to provide an apparatus of such class, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, with means whereby the negatives or prints during the washing operation are suspended above the bottom of the apparatus, and at all times clear of the siphoning element of the device, and said means further providing for the convenient removal of the negatives or prints after the washing operation, even though the wash water has not been entirely siphoned oil from the apparatus. I

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the class referred to, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, with means for supporting the negatives or prints to be washed above the bottom of the apparatus and then subjectin them while supported to water in the form of a spray whereby the washing of the negatives or prints is greatly facilitated.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of such class, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, with a foraminous supporting member for the negatives or prints arranged above the bottom of the apparatus, and for supporting said member at its center to limit the bending, buckling, sagging or bowing thereof caused by the weight of the negatives or prints or from pressure of the hand when removing the washed negatives or prints, or from the constant spraying of the water on the negatives or prints during the washing step.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a washing apparatus for the purpose set forth, which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, efiicient and convenient in its use, readily assembled, and comparatively inexpensive.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arran ement of parts, as hereinafter more specifics scribed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to-be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the S00 e of the claims hereunto appended.

n the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several 'views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washing apparatus, in accordance with this invention,

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view thereof,

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section illustrating the siphoning element and guard therefor.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the body portion of the apparatus is in the form of a rectangular receptacle comprising a bottom 1, front and rear walls 2, 3, res ectively, and a pair of end walls 4, 5. ach of the walls of the receptacle, is outwardly beaded at its top, as at 6, to provide a pocket and rounded upper edge. Extending through the pockets formed by the beads 6, is a reenforcing element 7, the latter being exp zosed at the corners of the receptacle, as at Secured t0 the inner face of each of the walls of the receptacle, is a vertically disposed angle shaped member 8, having the horizontal leg 9, thereof, extending inwardly to form a supporting ledge for a purpose to be presently referred to. The members 8, terminate at a point below the longitudinal center of each of the walls of the receptacle and each of the members 8, is of a length less than the length of that wall to which it is secured. The members 8, are securedto the walls of the receptacle by soldering, welding. or in any other suitable manner.

The members 8, which are secured to the walls 3 and 5, have mounted on and secured to the adjacent ends thereof a vertically disposed guard, formed from an L-shaped frame 10, to which is secured a foraminous member 11, and the latter forms the walls of the guard. The guard 10, terminates below the top edge of the walls 3 and 5, has its ends abuttin against the inner faces of said walls, as we as being secured thereto by soldering, welding .lower or open end arranged in proximity to,

but spaced from the u per face of the bottom 1. The elongated eg 14, of the siphoning element is secured to the bottom 1, by soldering or in any other suitable manner, as indicated at 16. The siphoning element is extended up into the chamber 13, but terminates at a point below the top of the walls of the receptacle. The guard formed by the frame 10, and foraminous member 11, prevents any possibility of the negatives or prints during the washing step to contact with the siphoning element.

Secured to the upper face of the bottom 1, centrally thereof, is a hollow inverted troughshaped support 17 which is disposed obliquely with respect to the bottom 1, and 1s of a height as not to extend above the led es formed by the legs 9, of the members 8. 'fhe support 17, opens in a direction toward the siphoning element and is hollow so that the wash water can pass therethrough.

Mounted upon the ledges 9, is a fo raminous element which provides means for supporting the negatives or prints above the bottom 1, and the said foraminous element is positioned on the ledges 9, and is cut away at one corner to provide a clearance for the guard, as clearly shown in Figure 1. The said foraminous element consists of a frame 18, to which is secured a foraminous sheet 19, preferably of wire mesh and the said sheet 19, when the foraminous element is mounted in position, is arranged, over the support 17 and the latter provides a means to limit the sagging, buckling or bowing of the sheet 19, at the center thereof, which sagging or bowing is caused by the weight of the negatives or prints to be washed, or when pressure is applied by the hand when removing the negatives or prints, or caused by the spraying of the water on the negatives or prints during the washing operation.

Arranged against the inner face of the front wall 2, at the top thereof is a water conducting pipe 20, and arranged against the inner face of the end wall 5, at the top thereof, is a water supply pipe 21, formed with discharge ports 22, and which is connected to one end of the pipe 20, by a coupling 23. Arranged against the inner face of the end wall 4, at the top thereof, is a water supply pipe 24, having discharge ports the pipes 24: and 21 to their respective walls.

The pipe 24, at that end opposite the end which is connected to the pipe 20, is provided with a coupling 28, for connecting therewith a water feed pipe 2!), which may be attached to any suitable water supply.

When using the apparatus, the negatives or prints are placed upon the sheet 19, after which the feed pipe 29 is opened to the source of water supply, and the water discharging from the pipes 21, 24, in the form of spray on the negatives or prints will thoroughly wash them, the water supplied to the receptacle during the washing operation will be siphoned off through the medium of the siphoning element. After the negatives or prints have been thoroughly washed, the water supply is discontinued and the washed negatives or prints can be conveniently removed.

As is well known, it is hypo-sulphite of soda which is eliminated from the photographic negatives or prints when these latter are washed and the foraminous support is provided to hold the negatives or prints above the level that the soda sinks to, and owing to the arrangement of the siphoning element, the action of the latter is always from below the negative or print lever, thus carrying off the hypo-sulphite laden water first and which insures a complete change of pure fresh water at frequent intervals, say from 5 to 7 minutes during the washing operation.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is obvious that a novel form of washing apparatus for the purpose set forth has been provided, and while the drawings illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention, yet it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction can be had without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is 1. A washing apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a receptacle, angle shaped supporting means arranged therein, a siphoning element extended within said receptacle, a guard surrounding said ele ment, a foraminous support mounted on said means and cut away to provide a clearance for said guard, spray pipes arranged within the receptacle and communicating with a water supply, and a support carried by the bottom of said receptacle and arranged below the center of the foraminous element.

2. A washing apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a receptacle, angle shaped supporting means arranged therein, a siphoning element extended within said receptacle, a guard surrounding said element, a foraminous support mounted on said means and cut away to provide a clearance for said guard, spray pipes arranged within the receptacle and communicating with a water supply, and a support carried by the bottom of said receptacle and arranged below the center of the foraminous element, said support depending obliquely and of inverted trough sha e.

3. A washing apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a receptacle, angle shaped supporting members secured therein, an L-shaped guard mounted on said members and secured to two of the walls of the receptacle and providing in connection with said walls a chamber, a siphoning element extending into said chamber, a foraminous supporting element mounted on said members and provided with a clearance and said guard and spray pipes connected to the receptacle and adapted to communicate with a source of water supply.

4. A washing apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a receptacle, an le shaped supportin members secured therein, an L-shaped guar mounted on said members and secured to two of the walls of the rece tacle and providing in connection with sald walls a chamber, a siphoning element extending into said chamber, a, foraminous supporting element mounted on said members and provided with a clearance, said 7 guard and spray pipes connected to the receptacle and adapted to communicate with a source of water supply, and an inverted trough shape support arranged below the center of said foraminous supporting element.

5. A washing apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a receptacle, angle shaped supporting members secured therein, an L-shaped guard mounted on said members and secured to two of the walls of the receptacle and providing in connection with said walls a chamber, a siphoning element extending into said chamber, a foraminous supporting element mounted on said members and provided with a clearance, said guard and spray pipes connected to the receptacle and adapted to communicate with a source of water supply, and an inverted trough shape support arranged below the center of said foraminous supportingv element, said support providing a passage extending toward said chamber.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature hereto.

CHARLES C. GATES. 

